Wayne Leach of Winslow, ME Demand that the U. S. (Pres. Bush & V.P. Cheney specifically, as well as Senators Collins & Snowe) uncap the oil wells in Alaska...Gull Island (at least 40 miles long in size) and Kuparuk (size 60 miles x 30 miles) fields ... that have already been drilled and tested with results proving that the quality is better and sulfur content is lower than most domestic and foreign oil, plus the fields are separate pools of oil (due to chemical structure of the samples) and probably contain more crude oil than there is in Saudi Arabia. Both of these fields are of different chemical makeup from the oil at the Prudhoe Bay (100 square miles) location.

If the president can declare war without Congress, he can uncap these wells, too.report abuse

Brian of Bangor, ME So... no increased domestic production, the mere prospect of which would have a small (but real) effect on futures prices in the short term, and which would generate downward pricing pressure in the long run. Economics 101: Increased supply means decreased scarcity which means lower price.

Add to that the twin ideas of removing tax breaks and instituting a windfall profits tax. If you raise taxes on an activity, then you get less of it at a higher price. Economics 101 again. Somebody once said "Taxes don't stay where you put them," and that will be true of raising taxes on the oil companies. Businesses large and small don't just happily soak up higher costs without passing them on to their consumers. Whether you're producing petroleum or patchouli oil, you pass on your costs to the people buying your product.

These politicians are the "Real men of genius," not the ones in the beer ads.

I hope voters in November remember which party is (mostly) to blame for high gas prices, which party actively seeks policies that would drive prices even higher, and which party opposes policies that would expand domestic production and put more oil on the market.report abuse

mdenis46 of Parksville, KY Stop the gridlock, p*ssing contest, and endless argument that only riles the hackles of BOTH Reps and Dems, libs and cons.

http://www.aarp.org/issues/dividedwefail/report abuse

daisy of madison, ME HELP.............how will we survive the mess in our governments,not only federal but state as well? We, the people, voted these people into office now we must live with the mess they have made of everything. What happened to common sense? Why doesn't any of the elected officials have it? We even relected our governor,who in my opinion, has ruined this state.The big wigs in Augusta talk about keeping our young people in Maine to work. My question is where? They talk about budget cuts in our schools,schools that can't afford supplies for the students ,yet can afford to send students clear across the state for sports. At the price of fuel!!!! They want all individuals to do OUR part to SAVE the environment. Yet just look at some of the blunders the governments allow. Oh, I have my darling little shopping bags so as not to use the environmental hazidous plastic bags. But what do I do with all the other plastic items, since everything is in plastic,milk cartons etc? I am wondering how clean is the emissions from the space ships when they lift off. How much fuel do they use? I haven't found to many people that care one way or another rather there is,was or ever will be life on the moon ,Mars or any where else out there in space, yet our gov. keeps spending on such foolishness. We can't travel on decent highways because there isn't money to repair them. well, perhaps if we reverted back to the rail thus taking the many trucks off the highway our roads wouldn't be in such a rut.pardon the pun. Now drill off the coast...use our own resourses... I can't see that happening, although I am all for it. This would make too much sense and it's plain the people in Augusta and Washington doesn't have a hint of that! If it would better Maine in anyway, you can bet, the Governor will veto it. Thinking as they do.....I have an idea, let the foreign countries come here to drill and we buy the oil from them.report abuse